Top Choices

The following pets are not necessarily the "Best Pet In The Game" -- but very often hunters have chosen the following pets over and over, so if you have trouble finding that Very Special Friend, you might consider the following ones that other people think are great picks. I've also included a few excellent choices that often get overlooked, for those who want a nice choice that others may have missed -- as well as warnings about a couple with hidden flaws. Here they are, arranged by their level and what makes them special:

Levels 10-20:

The Rake (10) This handsome guy is one of the most famous pets, and you'll undoubtedly run into people who insist he is the best pet in the game. However, Rake's only true outstanding feature is that he is the first 1.2 attack speed cat in the game, a speed later common in the 20s & 30s. He is an excellent choice if you plan to do PvP at a very early level, and want a fast attack cat for caster interupts, or you simply love the yellow-skinned maned lion look. Because he spawns in the Tauren starting zone of Mulgore, he can be a little more difficult to get for Alliance hunters, especially on a PvP server, but that gives many dwarves and night elves just more incentive to try. Like all cats, Rake has high damage, low armor, and medium hit points.

Bjarn (12) & Mangeclaw (11) A bear is a bear is a bear, just no debate about it. All bears in the game are absolutely identical with the exception of Ursius (with a 2.4 attack speed) and the Young Forest Bears of Elwynn Forest (with a 2.5 attack speed). So why do people choose these two over and over? Because they are the only white bears in the game under level 50, and frankly white bears just look damn cool. Do not listen to anyone who tells you one is better or faster than the other -- they are exactly the same once tamed to equal levels. Mangeclaw is 11 and very easy to find as he spawns every five minutes in one exact spot, but his special Ravage attack (which he does NOT keep once tamed) can sometimes break the Taming spell during the fight, forcing you to retreat and cast again, so he's not necessarily a pushover. Bjarn at 12 is actually easier to tame, but harder to find as he is a roaming bear that may or may not be in the game at any particular time, and you'll have to cover a wide area to look for him. Both bears know Claw 2 and are found in the Dun Morogh dwarf starter area outside of Ironforge, so a little difficult (but not impossible) for Horde players to get. Bears are very popular because they eat almost any food in the game, have extraordinarily high health (but low damage and medium armor).

Young Forest Bear (8-9) Speaking of bears above, we mentioned that there are two bears with extra-slow attack speeds: Ursius, and the Young Forest Bear. Since Ursius is a level 56 Elite, your best chance to pick up a slow attack speed bear is the Young Forest Bear of Elwynn Forest. Why would you want an extra slow bear? Because although their DPS is the same as other bears, they do more damage on each hit!

Moonstalker family (10-20) Night elf hunters who decide they want a cat have an excellent choice right in their own backyard in the Darkshore zone. The Moonstalker family all share a fast 1.3 attack and good pursuit speeds, making them a fine choice to keep all the way to level 60. In addition, these skins are never seen again in the game after these levels. A good solid choice for Alliance hunters who don't dare wander into Horde territory after the slightly faster Rake, or who just prefer the unique look. Like all cats, they have high damage, low armor, and medium hit points. There are three members of the moonstalker family who only differ in their levels and area found: Runts (10-11), regular Moonstalkers (14-15), and Sires (17-18). The Matriarch (19-20) has a slightly different look, but comes with the same 1.3 attack speed. You can also tame Shadowclaw (13) in Darkshore -- a Rare brown Moonstalker who is difficult to find because he has a stealth ability in the wild. But he has a slower attack speed than the others (1.7) and he does not keep the stealth skill after taming. Look for him only if you want an extra challenge tracking him down.

Takk the Leaper (19) Once a legendary pet choice because of an amazing chase speed that could easily run down even epic mounts, Takk's speed has since been normalized. Although he is an Elite, like all elites he reverts to common stats after taming. If you like the idea of a raptor and like his dark handsome looks, Takk is an excellent choice. Sometimes tricky to find, he prowls a plateau area in the northeast Barrens and is often missed by players who look at either too high, or too low, of an elevation. Raptors eat only meat, they cannot learn Dash but can learn Growl, Bite, Claw and Cower. They share with the cat family the distinction of the highest damage-dealing pets in game, although they have low hit points and only moderate armor.

Teldrassil Owls (5-9) Owls are one of the pets that can use the very popular Screech ability, and low level owls are only found in the night elf starting area. So if you want an owl, this is your only shot at one until the late 40s. They can be perhaps the most challenging target in the game for a Horde player, as you'll have to navigate through the most treacherous of enemy territories to get to them -- which make them all the more a coup for the young Orc, Troll or Tauren hunter. Owls are classified as high damage pets although Screech allows them to tank pretty well. They eat only meat and their flying animations can make it difficult to target things -- maybe bad for a group hunt, but all the more reason why some PvP players prefer them. There is no difference between any owls in the game, other than being either grey or white; white owls are only found in the high level zones. Besides Screech they can learn Claw, Cower, Dive and Growl. Strigid Owls are tamed already knowing Claw 1 while Strigid Hunters know Claw 2. For a fun video extolling the virtues of these owls, be sure to see Ballad of Hootie the Strigid Screecher

Dishu (13)A strikingly handsome young leopardess that spawns in the Barrens with a 1.5 attack speed, Dishu is the lowest level leopard in the game. She can be a challenge because during the taming she will suddenly spawn 2-3 young cubs who will start assisting her and create a very dicey situation for a same-level hunter. The easiest tactic is to initially ignore Dishu and try to kill the cubs and then beat a hasty retreat without taming her, heal up, and then return to challenge her again. She doesn't spawn the cubs again on the subsequent tries, and you can tame her now in undisturbed safety.

'Black Widow' spiders (3-13) Few pets have as dramatic a skin as these high-damage companions, yet they are very rarely seen on hunters. Part of the reason -- they spawn in the undead starting area of Tirisfal Glades and the human starter area of Elwynn Forest, the two starter zones that have no hunter races. They are high damage pets, but other than their looks are not especially exceptional and they have limited skills (Growl, Bite, and Cower). Other than that, they are the best choice if you want something exceptionally unusual, or perhaps simply to unsettle that phobia-prone guy on the opposing side of a PvP fight.

Prairie Wolf Alpha (9-10) This coyote-colored wolf has a fast 1.4 attack speed, making him a favorite early pick for those willing to make the hike to the Tauren starter grounds in Mulgore, where he is easy to find. He already comes with both Bite 2 and Furious Howl 1, and in addition to those he can be taught Cower, Dash, and Growl. Like all wolves, he is an all purpose pet, with medium damage, armor, and health.

Oasis Snapjaws (15-16) These are the first turtles to appear in the game for low level hunters to tame. They are fairly easy to find near the oases of The Barrens, which make them slightly more of a challenge for Alliance players, but not that difficult. They have high armor, medium hit points, and low damage, which makes them very rugged tank pets, and later in life they can be taught Shell Shield. The Oasis Snapjaws already know Bite 2 when tamed, so they can help out tanking right from the start. They can also learn Cower and Growl. Turtles used to be very picky eaters, but now they eat Fish as well as Fruit and Fungus.

Echeyakee (16) This unique white maned lion is very difficult for Alliance players to tame, since only a Horde quest will spawn him. He has absolutely standard stats across the board, including a 2.0 attack speed, so is only sought for his unique appearance as other 2.0 attack speed cats are much easier to acquire, for those who want a slow hitting cat with a hard first-strike Prowl attack.

Death Flayer (11) The addition of the Scorpid Poison skill has swung a lot of attention to this otherwise often overlooked Rare spawn. The only fast attack scorpid (1.6 attack speed), this striking black arthropod also will come with the new Scorpid Poison 1 skill that only the scorpid family get, and also knows Claw 2, meaning he can help out hunting immediately after taming. He is not too difficult to find in Durotar, near to the river separating the zone from The Barrens. Scorpids have high armor, medium health and low damage. They eat only Meat and in addition to Scorpid Poison can learn Growl, Claw and Cower.

Ressan the Needler (11) If you want something really rare, this albino bat is a good option. Getting up to Tirisfal Glades is dangerous but not impossible for Alliance hunters (it's a long swim from Menthil Harbor; I crossed through Hillsbrad/Silverpine when I made the run at 12 and it might have been better to try swimming the long way around the coast as every high level mob in those zones wanted me for dinner, and I died often). For Horde it's just a free and easy airship flight to the Undercity starter areas. Ressan can learn the Screech skill, which is a great skill at always keeping aggro on the pet, so if your other pets have a hard time keeping the target's full attention, try training Screech on this guy and giving him a try. His diet of Fruit and Fungus makes him one of the most difficult pets to keep easily fed, but his abilities list is above average as he can learn five possible skills: Bite, Cower, Dive, Growl and Screech. Bats also get to be HUGE when fully grown; this might make targeting anything except him difficult at times.

Nightsaber family (1-11) These handsome cats are often the first pet tamed by young night elf hunters since they occur only on Teldrassil. The Moonstalker Matriarch (19-20) and Shadowclaw (13), both from Darkshore and mentioned above under Moonstalkers have the same look and are easier to reach for a Horde hunter. These are good solid cats, with attack speeds from 1.2 to 2.0. Like all cats they eat Fish and Meat and can learn Bite, Claw, Cower, Dash, Growl, and Prowl.

Durotar Tigers & Snow Leopards (7-8) Two of the handsomest cat options for low level players, this pair used to suffer from very slow chase speeds. Now that chase speeds have been normalized, however, these two cats are an excellent and elegant choice, especially if you grab one from the other side of the battle front.

Mazzranache (9) aka "That Pink Flamingo" has probably the single most extraordinary skin in the game. Like the Snow Leopards, this beautiful bird used to be very slow at the chase, but since pursuit normalization that's no longer an issue. Like most tallstriders, Mazzranache has a 2.0 attack speed; if you'd prefer a faster attack speed you might try a Ornery Plainstriders (16-17) (1.3 attack speed). Tallstriders make good defensive pets due to their high hit points, meaning they can take a lot of damage from both melee and magic opponents, but their aggravating diet of Cheese, Fruit and Fungus can make it dificult to find vendors who sell food for them.

Silithid Protectors (18-19) Crabs are an unusual pet, and these lovely vermillian crabs are more unusual yet. Silithid Protectors can only be spawned during a Horde quest in the Barrens, which makes them quite difficult for Alliance hunters to tame. Although they are standard crabs in most ways, with very high armor, medium damage, and low health, the Protectors' real claim to fame is that they keep their creation emote even after they are tamed. Every time you whistle for your pet, everyone in the area will see the message: "Silithid Protector digs its way out of the sand to protect its eggs." Protectors are the highest level red crab available to tame, but if you are looking for a little less challenge -- and a quieter summoning -- check out the Surf Crawlers and Pygmy Surf Crawlers in Durotar.

Deviate Crocolisk (18-19) Another uncommon pet is the crocolisk. Like crabs, crocolisks have high armor, low health, and medium damage. The pretties of the crocolisks (in my opinion) are the albinos, and young hunters have a perfect opportunity to tame an albino Deviate Crocolisk in the Wailing Caverns. The next time an albino croc is available to tame is level 45+. Although Deviate Crocolsisk occur in an instance, these crocs aren't themselves elite. They can be found relatively near the entrance and aren't to hard to solo if you don't mind the possibility of dying once or twice.

Boars (1-17) Boars are a favorite pet for brand new hunters, and with good reason. The majority of the family can be found at low levels, so there is a wide variety of skins, levels, and locations to choose from. Boars are superior tanking pets, they eat almost anything, and they all come with some level of the special boar skill Charge. You could do a lot worse than to start out with a boar companion.

Greater Fleshripper (16-17) Greater Fleshrippers may look like an undistinguished black carrion bird, but they are also the only source in the game for Screech 1. The Screech skill, which can be used by carrion birds, owls, and bats, is am excellent aggro generator for your pet and a favorite hunter choice, especially for PvE. And since carrion birds are an all-purpose pet -- with medium armor, damage, and health -- the Greater Fleshripper will serve you well no matter what you need to do. Of course, if you prefer a slightly more stylish carrion bird, you can look into tracking down the rare Lord Condar in Loch Modan and teaching him Screech yourself.

GhostSaber (19-20) And finally we come to my personal favorite for levels 10-20, the Ghost Saber. These unnatural cats occur in the far northern reaches of Darkshore, spawned randomly from a cat figurine scattered among the Ruins of Mathystra. And these are unnatural cats -- even after taming, they retain their ghostly status -- they are semi-transparent! Hunters sometimes talk about these cats as if they had a permanent Prowl ability, but that's not quite accurate: although they are semi-transparent and can be hard to see, they are not really stealthed. They do not move slowly and do not get a damage bonus on the first hit. Ghost Sabers can, however, learn Prowl when they reach the appropriate level -- and a Ghost Saber in Prowl mode is very hard for even its owner to see. Unlike most cats, Ghost Sabers have a standard 2.0 attack speed.

Levels 20-30:

Lupos (23) At one point, Lupos was perhaps the most famous worg in the game. Hunters and non-hunters alike knew this wolf because it dealt shadow damage instead of normal physical damage -- shadow-based damage that bypassed armor. Unfortunately, that behavior was corrected and Lupos is now a normal wolf in all respects. But he is still a very handsome fellow! Like all wolves, Lupos is a good all-around pet with medium health, armor, and damage.

The 1.2 speed cougars (23-28) (Starving Mountain Lion (23-24), Needles Cougar (27-28), Feral Mountain Lion (27-28) are all noteable reminders that some of the most exceptionally fine pets in the game are also the most common spawns. These "Saturday Night Specials In A Plain Brown Wrapper" are found in the Hillsbrad and Thousand Needles zones. These are great speed cats outperformed only by the unique Broken Tooth, and far easier to acquire. They have the same stats as The Rake, and a good choice for both PvP and Beast Mastery builds. The easiest of any fast attack pets to acquire in the game. Starving Mountain Lions come knowing Cower 2, Feral Mountain Lions know Cower 3.

Humar the Pridelord (23) A highly sought after pet, not so much for his fast 1.3 speed attack as his unique skin -- no other black maned lion appears in the game except this guy. He spawns 2-3 times a day under a particular tree in the Barrens, and is easiest to get if you are willing to log off near that spot and check every few hours to see if he has appeared. You stand a good chance of competing with fellow hunters also camping this unique spawn. Except for his looks, he has identical stats to all other 1.3 speed cats. I found him rather easily several times, but other hunters sometimes find him a frustrating spawn to camp.

Slavering Worgs (18-19 elite) If you want a fast pet but don't want a cat, these are the pups for you -- they have a 1.2 attack speed. Yes I know they technically don't belong in the 20-30 catagory, but seriously I wouldn't try these before 20 unles you really truly know what you are doing. They are only found past the locked courtyard door of Shadowfang Keep, and are Elite to boot, so very hard for players to get except as part of an assisting group in the instance, or solo at mid-20s or higher. I would suggest waiting till 25 to solo and even then, proceed very carefully. But they definately are worth the effort. If you happen to be Horde and are willing to take a tiny reduction in attack speed, you may also check out Enraged Stanley. Stanley is a normal friendly (untameable) dog until a Horde quest poisons him and turns him into Enraged Stanley, tameable, with a 1.3 attack speed.

Mist Howler (22) & Ghostpaw Alphas (27-28) If you want a fast attack wolf with a lot less bother than the SFK worg, these two Ashenvale zone 1.3 attack speed wolves are good choices. Mist Howler is grey and appears at 22 and is a rare spawn, the Alphas are bluish white, are much easier to locate, and come with Bite 4 and Furious Howl 2. Very decent all-purpose pets that can match most cats for speed in attack speed.

Agam'ar Armored Boars (24-28) Don't let their plate mail impress you too much; these Razorfen Kraul elites actually have the same standard stats all other Boars in the game, but one of the most unique looking skins. They are also some of the few boars to be found at mid levels. Boars are sometimes classified as all purpose pets but frankly these guys are pure tank as they have the same high health as a gorilla, the same high armor of a crocolisk or scorpid, and a higher damage reduction rating than a bear. They eat everything and have a good range of skills available as well, including Bite, Cower, Dash, Growl, and the boar special attack, Charge. The armored boars are levels 24-28 but very difficult to acquire at those levels unless part of an organized group in this complex instance located in southernmost tip of The Barrens. The three variations are: Agam'ar (brown 24-25 elite), Raging Agam'ar (ivory 25-26 elite) and Rotting Agam'ar (black 28 elite).

Deviate Dreadfang (20- 21 Elite) All windserpents qualify as extraordinary if only for their uniqueness as a hunter pet choice, but the most unusual of all may be these elite guardians in the far depths of the Wailing Cavern instance. They don't appear until pretty far into the instance and shouldn't be attempted unless in a group or perhaps solo in the early 30s; I can't recall now what level I had gotten mine but it was harder work than I expected. Be sure to bring along a disposable pet to get you through the winding mazes. Windserpents are high damage pets, although there are no fast attack variations. Their diets are limited to Bread, Cheese, Fish, which may not be bad if you intend to take up fishing or know a friendly mage who will conjure food for you. They can learn Bite, Cower, Dive, and Growl as well as their special short-range attack, Lightning Breath. I only very occasionally would see another hunter with a windserpent, and even then rarely this "black" model (really a deep blue).

Green Windserpents (16-28) Speaking of windserpents, this is also your last chance to tame a lovely green windserpent. Deviate Stinglashes (16-17 Elite) and Deviate Venomwings (20-21 Elite) can both be found in the Wailing Caverns, and Venomous Cloud Serpents (26-28) can be found in Thousand Needles. These guys are all identical to the Deviate Dreadfang above in stats (when tamed to the same level, of course). The Deviates come with Lightning Breath 2 and the Cloud Serpent with Lightning Breath 3.

Twilight Runners (23-24) One of my very favorites of the fast cats (1.3 attack speed), and easy as pie to tame ^_^ They are found in the night elf portion of Stonetalon Mountains, and if you gave up a nightsaber earlier, this kitty will help make up for it. After this, the black spotted skin never appears again ingame, so it is not often seen at the high levels as a hunter pet.

Silithid Creeper (20-21) Few choices will stand out more in crowded areas than this neon-bright scorpid, who happens to also know Scorpid Poison 1. All scorpids have identical stats (other than the 1.6 attack speed Death Flayer listed above), but there is nothing short of remarkable about this guy's coloration. Found in the Barrens and not necessarily an easy tame; like all scorpids they are very aggressive and this one is mixed in a small area that is intended to be a hotbed of difficulty, as part of a Barrens quest. Scorpids have high armor and make good tanks.

Strider Clutchmother (20) If you liked everything about Mazzaranche but you aren't into pink, you might want to consider his equally unique older cousin, who comes in turquoise. Although Rare she is relatively easy to find as she spawns in a very low traffic southwest corner of Darkshore. She was a little tough to tame though as she kept knocking me back on my butt and breaking the channeling ^_^ still I was very happy using this gal as a tank for some good 20+ levels until I had to release her to try out other pets. As stated before, tallstriders have high hit points, meaning they can take a lot of damage from both melee and magic opponents, but their aggravating diet of Cheese, Fruit and Fungus can make it dificult to find vendors who sell food for them.

Naraxis (27) Naraxis is perhaps the most unique and beautiful spider in the game. All spiders are high damage pets, with medium helth and low armor, and Naraxis is no exception. She comes with Bite 4 when tamed and has a standard 2.0 attack speed. But her real attraction is her beautiful, blood red skin. Although she can sometimes be hard to track down in her little cave in Duskwood, the admiring stares you will draw in any capital city will be well worth the wait.

Vultros (26) Another beauty in this level range is Vultros, a rare blue carrion bird from Westfall. Like all carrion birds, Vultros is a good all-around pet with medium damage, armor and health, but with the addition of the Screech skill he can become a champion tank and a great -- and stylish! -- companion.

Levels 30-40:

Broken Tooth (37) No list of extraordinary pets can exclude the 1.0 attack speed Broken Tooth, who is unique in having the single fastest attack speed on record. Originally sought by players for the advantages of the Spirit Bond healing talent, he is still much prized by Beast Mastery build hunters for his ability to break into frenzy very early in the fight, meaning he can dish out a slightly higher damage than any other cat in the game. Also good for annoying casters, who find it very difficult to cast a spell due to his attack speed, which reduces to .77 speed under frenzy. Unfortunately, he can be difficult to find as he spawns in three separate spots in the Badlands and is sometimes killed off by regular players who don't realize his distinction. Also camped heavily by other hunters. I was lucky and found him pretty easy by logging out on the tall spire midway between the three spawns, and using Eye of the Eagle to periodically scout for him.

Swamp Jaguars (36-37)One of the prettiest of the cat family, and certainly more elegant looking than the cougar 1.2 cats, are these fast cats found throughout the Swamp of Sorrows. Not much to say other than -- they're spotted, they're 1.2! What else do you really need to know? Oh yes -- they already know know Dash 1!

Barnabus (38) This rare spawn from the Badlands makes the list as the earliest level a red wolf ever appears in the game, although the same skin is common in the level 50s among the ember worgs in Burning Steppes. He has no exceptional attributes except for his color -- but what a nice color! Certainly a very handsome choice for any wolf lover, and especially nice for orc hunters with a red mount.

Scarlet Tracking Hound (33-34) This Elite mob may require a group to help get, as he is located in an instance difficult to solo in the 30s. However, his very handsome distinctive coloration, and fast 1.5 attack speed, make him an excellent choice for those who want a ost unusual pet. Hyenas eat Meat and Fruit. They are not classified as wolves so cannot learn Furious Howl, but it is expected they will be getting a new specialty skill of their very own in a future patch. For now, they can learn Bite, Cower, Dash, and Growl. They are considered "all purpose" pets with medium ratings in damage, armor and health.

Cranky Benj (32) I wanted a red turtle on the list someplace and had several to choose between, but Cranky Benj won out for several reasons. He is non-elite, non-instance -- meaning easier for hunters to solo -- and I frankly just needed more candiates in this level range ^_^ On the other hand, I've always had a hard time tracking down Cranky even using maps of his spawn, so if you have a similar problem you can instead go after the elite Aku'mai Snapjaw (26-27) or the elite boss mob Ghamoo-ra (25 elite) that are in the Blackfathom Deeps instance. Every turtle in the game has the same stats once tamed, so only tackle the elite boss Ghamoo-Ra if you think the chalenge would make it more fun -- he has 9,000 Armor rating!! Or go for the much higher level and most common of all Saltwater Snapjaws (48-50 The Hinterlands). Cranky Benj is the only "Rare" spawn I have failed to camp successfully. Perhaps you'll have better luck.

Salt Flat Turtles (30-35) Speaking of turtles, this level range opens up some very attractive possibilities with the white turtles of Thousand Needles. You can find the Sparkleshell Tortoise (30-31), the Sparkelshell Borer (32-33) and the Sparkleshell Snapper (34-35) on various parts of the Salt Flats. All three are quite easy to tame. They have the same stats as the red turtles above. This skin is available at higher levels, by why wait for something so lovely?

Sin'Dall & STV Tigers (30-38) All of these have identical stats after taming (except the 2.0 AS Bloodscalp Tiger), so no point in going after Sin'dall (37) unless you really want to. On the other hand he easy to find; after I tamed him I was working on his loyalty in the same area, and within the hour I had found and killed him 2-3 more times on the exact same little hill. All of these striped beauties are fast 1.3 speed cats, so grab the first one you find at the level you want because they are all equally good.

Gorillas (32+) These guys get a mention only because one of the most common questions on the hunter forums is, "when can I tame a Gorilla?" The answer -- they first start appearing at level 32 in Stranglethorn. They have very high health making them good tanks versus magic users, but fussy diets as they only eat fruit and fungus. They can learn Growl, Bite, Cower, and the special gorilla skill, Thunderstomp, which is a short-range AoE attack. All Gorillas have identical stats and attributes other than color.

Vile Sting (35) Time was, the only thing I wanted more in life than my first mount was to tame Vile Sting. Although there is nothing special about the stats on this gorgeous scorpid (other than the fact that he conveniently knows both Claw 5 and Scorpid Poison 2 when tamed), he is nevertheless an extraordinary specimen -- and your only chance until level 53+ to tame such a looker.

Young Jungle Stalker (35-37) Raptors are often overlooked as pets, largely because they have not yet received a special family skill and they lack the ability to Dash. But they can still be a good choice as a companion: they have very high damage and medium armor (although low health), plus a very aggressive attitude. The Young Jungle Stalker is only one of two green raptors you can tame, which makes it a very stylish addition to any stable. (They are also a reasonable match for the emerald riding raptor, should you happen to have one of those!)

Levels 40-50:

King Bangalash (43) King B was once the most legendary pet of all time due to both a fast attack speed (1.4) and an extraordinary fast pursuit speed that easily took down epic mounts, and thus a popular choice for PvP players. His chase speed was later normalized, but many high level players still keep him due to his extraordinary history. He otherwise shares the exact same stats as all 1.4 speed attack cats. I don't know of any particular reason to tame him today -- except that he is still very handsome, ofcourse -- but he certainly deserves a salute in any list of notable pets.

Longtooth Runners (40-41) Once these wolves were well-known for a very fast pursuit speed, making them popular for PvP players who want to chase down a running enemy. After normalization, they are perfectly normal wolves in all ways. They also come with Furious Howl 3 as well as Dash 2, so a very good utility pick.

Southern Sand Crawler (40-41) Tired of feeding a high level pet expensive Roast Quail? Crab have an easy-pleasing diet of Bread, Fish, Fruit and Fungus, which means they can survive cheaply off raw high level fish you catch or even conjured bread from a mage. And with the highest armor and damage resistance of any pet in the game, plus a low profile that makes them easy to target over, they'll be welcomed in any group instance. And such a pretty blue color! ^_^

Deadmire (45) Albino crocodiles are not all that rare, as they appear on Deviate Crocolisk (18-19) in The Wailing Caverns up to the very rare Sewer Beast (50). But they are rarely seen as hunter pets. If you want one but missed the boat on the Deviate Crocs, the easiest to find is this named, but neither Rare nor Elite, level 45 that prowls the rivers of the Duskwallow zone. Crocolisks have a fairly easy going diet of Fish and Meat. However they have one of the smallest skillsets in the game, at this time they can learn only Bite, Cower, and Growl. Deadmire already knows Bite 6, meaning he'll be able to help tank right from the get-go.

Jaquero Stalker (50) Ever since the Prowl skill was announced, people have been asking for the slowest attack high level cat. Technically that is Sian Rotam, but since he is durn hard to get, I'll also list this dark powerhouse with the heavy hitting first strike as a close second. As an added perk, he already knows Prowl 3 when tamed.

White Windserpents (41, 49) Although there are a number of white windserpents available, these two rare serpents are unfortunately the only two that do not have the dreaded caster attributes -- which is truly a pity, because white windserpents are an elegant and deadly addition to any hunter's stable. I've had better luck finding Arash-ethis (49) than Hayoc (41), and Arash-ethis also comes with Dive 2 and Lightning Breath 5 when tamed, but your experience may vary.

Old Cliff Jumper (42) This dark grey worg is the only one of his kind -- but in truth, the difference between his color and that of a light grey worg is fairly subtle, and since he can be a real bear to track down in the Hinterlands he remains a fairly unusual hunter pet. Like all wolves, Old Cliff Jumper is a good all-around pet. He knows Bite 6 and Dash 2 when tamed.

Levels 50-60:

Bloodseeker Bat (60) One of most exciting additions for pet lovers in the 1.7 patch was the discovery of a supersonic-speed new bat, with a 1.0 attack speed and a superfast chase speed nearly rivaling that of the AV Frostwolves. Unfortunately, the pursuit speed normalization in patch 1.9 removed the supersonic pursuit speed, but this little bat is still very popular for his 1.0 attack speed. Add that to the new Screech attack for bats, which debuffs the enemies attack power and acts as a superglue aggro aid, and you have a deadly combination for a great highend pet. As it is located in a raid instance, it is best to get in a group but you can check this link for tips on how to try it as a solo tame.

Spiteflayer (52) The only fast attack speed carrion in the game, this bird is a popular choice not only for his 1.2 attack speed and the fact he already knows Dive 3 but also for the fact carrion get use of the new Screech skill, can be taught a wide range of other skills (Growl, Bite, Claw, Dive, Cower), and are the only birds that eat fish as well as meat. A great choice for someone who wants an exceptionally well rounded pet. His only drawback is that his flapping wings make targeting difficult -- a minus for group hunts but a plus in PvP play.

Deathmaw (53) Famous for being the fastest attack wolf on record with a 1.2 attack speed. Deathmaw's younger sibling, the elite Slavering Worg, has identical stats but can only be found at a low level, making Deathmaw the pick for high level wolf lovers who do not want to level up the much lower level version. He can be very difficult to find however as he spawns in a high traffic area and is often killed off by passing players before he can be tamed. If it becomes too much work to find him, the grind of leveling up a Slavering Worg will at least assure you of the same end result.

Vilebranch Raiding Wolves (50-51) These elite dark lean wolves look exactly like Snarler, a wolf once famous for his extraordinary resists but who was later standardized. These wolves are often accidently left off speed charts, even though their 1.7 attack speed is faster than average. Just not a lot faster. Chosen as much for their looks, as for their slight fast attack advantage, they already know bith Bite 7 and Dash 3.

AV Frostwolves (50-51) These wolves were once much beloved of PvP players for their supersonic pursuit speeds, but after normalization their biggest claim to fame is that they are the only white worg that isn't rare. They are still a very popular choice, however, for hunters on both sides of the battle front.

Winterspring Cats These 1.5 attack cats are the prime target for high level players for two reasons: their unusual appearance, and because they are the only cats to appear in the game after level 51. The lavender Frostsaber Pride Watchers (59-60) and the aqua Rak'Shiri (57) and Shy-Rotam (60) all use the high shouldered "riding tiger" model instead of the standard cat shape. Frostsabers (56-57) have the same striped tiger appearance of King B, and the pure white cats are Frostsaber Cub, Huntress and Stalker. In addition, the Frostsaber Stalker comes with both Prowl 3 as well as Dash 3, making the Stalker a good choice for a new cat pet. The Cubs know Cower 6. Otherwise just pick whichever cat has the skin you like best, because they are otherwise identical. Shy is part of a Horde quest that also involves her white maned mate, Sian (right below).

Sian Rotam (60) The most unique of the Winterspring cats for several reasons: his 2.0 attack speed makes him one of the slowest attack speed cats in the game, which interests players who want a large "first strike" coming out of Prowl stealth. In addition, he and the much younger Echeyakee are the only white maned lions in the entire game, and both can only be spawned as part of unrelated Horde quests, making them exceptionally difficult for Alliance players to get without direct assistance of the opposing side. He spawns halfway through the battle with Shy Rotam, so for more information on this two part quest, click here

Winterspring Screecher (57-59) I originally had Olm the Wise on the list as the first white owl to appear in the game, but he got bumped after learning the level 57-58 version of this skin not only has identical stats but also comes with Screech 3 as well as Claw 8, making them a great pick for high level players who want an owl. The Screech skill's most attractive aspect is that it doubles as a "Super Growl" aggro-builder, and even without Growl or Claw it can be near impossible for this owl to lose aggro even with multiple targets. The caution is that the AOE debuff can also trigger unwanted adds from otherwise non-aggressive nearby spawns if not used carefully.

Bloodaxe Worg (56-57) -- this black worg is rumored to be one of the harder pets in the game to tame due to his location buried deep in Blackrock Spire, and his fast 1.5 attack speed is topped by an even greater attraction: he is the single source in the game for Bite 8 and Furious Howl 4. This is on top of having Dash 3. So if you only want to tame one wolf that has it all, this is the one to go for. At one time these wolves changed color occasionally when summoned, but that behavior was apparently fixed in patch 1.12.

Ravage (51) Ravage is often chosen out of the pack less for his unusual purple color than his fast 1,3 attack speed. Hyenas are so well balanced they are almost boring in their stats -- decent at everything and outstanding at nothing, so a great pet if you like all purpose choices. Ravage is a Rare spawn in the Blasted Lands. Hyenas do not yet have a special skill, but they can learn Bite, Cower, Dash, Growl. They eat Fruit and Meat. Their main attraction for some hunters is that they are a rarely seen pet. If you long to be different, Go Hyena!

Ursius (56) This big white brute's main claim to fame is being the only high-level pet with an exceptionally slow attack speed of 2.4. (Ypung Forest Bears in Elwynn Forest have an even slower 2.5 attack speed.) He has the exact same damage over time as other bears, he just hits slower and harder. So if you want a high level bear and like seeing one that has larger critical hits than his peers, this big guy is for you. Really though, all bears are pretty much the same so there is no reason to tackle this elite level 56, unless you simply MUST have smething a tiny bit different about your companion.

Spire Spiderling (55-56) I happen to think this sparkling gem-like spider is the prettiest in it's family. It no longer has the blinding fast 1.0 attack speeds it once had (it was so vicious that devs had to tone down the area it spawned in simply so players could survive its attacks), it is still one of the only fast attack spiders in the game at 1.5 attack speed.

Plagued Swine (60) In addition to having a unique (and pretty creepy-looking) boar skin, these creatures are also the only source in the game for Charge 6. Boars are an increasingly popular pet choice -- with their high health and high armor they make excellent tanks, and the boar Charge ability helps make up for their very low damage -- and it's not unusual to see these undead swine wandering about in the capital cities with their proud owners.

Uhk'loc (52) Uhk'loc is my personal favorite gorilla. He's a rare spawns inside the caves at Fungal Rock in Un'Goro crater, and he comes knowing Bite 7 when tamed. But what makes him special is his unique silver and blue skin. This gorilla might as well be carved from ice -- he's that cool!

Spawn of Marli (60) This creature has the fastest attack speed of all the spiders at 1.4 -- even faster than the 1.5 attack speed Spire Spiderling. Unfortunately I don't think it's as attractive as the Spire Spiderling, but sometimes you have to sacrifice looks for utility. Spiders are a high damage pet with low armor and medium health, and with a fast attack speed this particular spider can rip through enemies, especially casters.

Son of Hakkar (60) Prior to patch 1.12, the Son of Hakkar would change color every time he was summoned after being tamed. He lost this ability in patch 1.12, but perhaps to some extent that's a good thing, since there is now an additional high level choice for the very lovely dark red windserpent skin. The Son comes with Lightning Breath 6, the special short-range nature attack that windserpents can learn.